MAN takes over at London Fashion Week while Le Mindu wigs out

It was all about the boys yesterday when London Fashion Week closed with a menswear showcase for the first time in its 25-year history.  

MAN, a label backed by Topman and Fashion East, and credited with launching the careers of many established designers, including the likes of Christopher Kane - whose show this week was described as near "genius" by Hilary Alexander in the Daily Telegraph - Gareth Pugh and Marios Schwab, was the highlight of the day.

Imogen Fox of the Guardian described the scene on the catwalk as "inspired by public schoolboys who escaped to 1950s Soho - a world of art houses and seedy sex shops". The show (pictured left), attended by Topman owner Sir Philip Green, unveiled tweed blazers, parka jackets and slim cotton drill trousers – pieces that will surely be found in the fashion tycoon's stores come Autumn.   

Unlike New York, London has been praised around the world for delivering six days of recession-defying shows that have been as covetable as they are wearable. But if there was one designer who didn't quite fit in to the latter category, it was French wigmaker Charlie Le Mindu's collection of headdresses (pictured right).

The 22-year-old sent out a troupe of models in elaborate headgear made from dead rats during one of the day's fringe shows. Models stormed the catwalk in a variety of designs - one had her entire face obscured by the rodent with a selection of rat's tails dangling down at the front, while another wore a carcass on her face as though she were attending a masked ball.  

Speaking about the inspiration behind his designs, Le Mindu said: "I really like mice and rats. But everybody doesn't like them and I just wanted to show people it could be really beautiful." ·